Impact of the integration of water treatment and handwashing incentives with antenatal services on hygiene practices of pregnant women in Malawi
Access to safe drinking water and improved hygiene are important for reducing morbidity and mortality from diarrhea. We surveyed 330 pregnant women who participated in an antenatal clinic-based intervention in Malawi that promoted water treatment and hygiene through distribution of water storage containers, sodium hypochlorite water treatment solution, soap, and educational messages. Program participants were […]
Newborn Mid-Upper Arm Circumference Identifies Low-Birth Weight and Vulnerable Infants: A Secondary Analysis
Background: Low birth weight (LBW) infants are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Identification of LBW may not occur in settings where access to reliable scales is limited. Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) may be an accessible, low-cost measure to identify LBW and vulnerable infants. Objectives: We explored the validity of newborn MUAC in identifying […]
A qualitative focus group study concerning perceptions and experiences of Nigerian mothers on stillbirths
Objective: To explore the experiences and perceptions of stillbirth among mothers from a tertiary medical centre in Kano, Northern Nigeria. Design: Qualitative, interpretative. Setting: Tertiary healthcare facility, Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital (MMSH), Kano, Northern Nigeria. Sample: Mothers who had given birth to a liveborn baby at the MMSH in the prior 6 months (n = 31). […]
Free contraception and behavioural nudges in the postpartum period: Evidence from a randomised control trial in Nairobi, Kenya
Background Short birth intervals are a major risk factor for poor maternal and newborn outcomes. Utilisation of modern contraceptive methods during the postpartum period can reduce risky birth intervals but contraceptive coverage during this critical period remains low. Methods We conducted a randomised controlled experiment to test whether vouchers for free contraception, provided with and […]
Does hospital variation in intrapartum-related perinatal mortality among caesarean births reflect differences in quality of care? Cross-sectional study in 21 hospitals in Burkina Faso
Objectives To examine hospital variation in crude and risk-adjusted rates of intrapartum-related perinatal mortality among caesarean births. Design Secondary analysis of data from the DECIDE (DECIsion for caesarean DElivery) cluster randomised trial postintervention phase. Setting 21 district and regional hospitals in Burkina Faso. Participants All 5134 women giving birth by caesarean section in a 6-month […]
Malaria indicator survey 2009, South Sudan: Baseline results at household level
Background: South Sudan has borne the brunt of years of chronic warfare and probably has the highest malaria burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country. This nationally representative survey aimed to provide data on malaria indicators at household level across the country. Methods. In 2009, data […]
The global limits and population at risk of soil-transmitted helminth infections in 2010
Background: Understanding the global limits of transmission of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) species is essential for quantifying the population at-risk and the burden of disease. This paper aims to define these limits on the basis of environmental and socioeconomic factors, and additionally seeks to investigate the effects of urbanisation and economic development on STH transmission, and […]
Fostering access to and use of contextualised knowledge to support health policy-making: Lessons from the Policy Information Platform in Nigeria
Background: Contextualising evidence to inform policy-making is increasingly recognised as key to developing and implementing effective health policies. Creating a one-stop shop for evidence is an approach that can facilitate timely access to the best evidence to inform policy decisions. We report outcomes after implementation of the Policy Information Platform (PIP), a pilot one-stop evidence […]
Distance to care, care seeking and child mortality in rural Burkina Faso: findings from a population-based cross-sectional survey
Objective: Although distance has been identified as an important barrier to care, evidence for an effect of distance to care on child mortality is inconsistent. We investigated the association of distance to care with self-reported care seeking behaviours, neonatal and post-neonatal under-five child mortality in rural areas of Burkina Faso. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional […]
Mapping geographical inequalities in oral rehydration therapy coverage in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000-17
Background: Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a form of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhoea that has the potential to drastically reduce child mortality; yet, according to UNICEF estimates, less than half of children younger than 5 years with diarrhoea in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) received ORS in 2016. A variety of recommended home […]
